Laser marking is a marking technique that uses lasers and other forms of radiant energy to bond a marking substance to a wide range of substrates. Laser marking forms permanent marks on metals, glass and ceramic parts and is used in many applications, ranging from aerospace to awards and engraving industries. Laser marking differs from the more widely known techniques of laser engraving and laser ablation in that laser marking is an additive process, adding material to the substrate to form the marking instead of removing material as in engraving and ablation techniques.
For metal substrates, parts can be permanently marked with high contrast, high resolution marks for logos, bar-coding, and identification and serialization purposes without damage to the substrate. With glass and ceramics the traditional firing process is replaced with a laser and marking composition. Complex glass and ceramic surfaces can be decorated or marked in seconds to form a permanent bond between the composition and the surface.
A need remains for marks that exhibit increased contrast and marks that are more readily visible. In addition, for marks subject to surface wear, scuffing, or exposure to environmental factors, it would also be beneficial to improve bonding between the mark and the underlying substrate to prevent or reduce the potential for abrasion or removal of the mark. Accordingly, in view of these and other concerns, a need exists for improved marking compositions and methods using such materials.